Insect-destroyer



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(No Model.)

W. .H. FREEMAN. INSECT DESTROYBR. No. 573,587.

Patented Dec. 22; 1896.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets'-Sheet 2; W. H. FREEMAN.

INSECT DESTROYER. No. 573,587. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

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1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY FREEMAN, OF LEXINYON, NEBRASKA.

lNSECT-DESTROYER.

. SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters'Patent No. 5'7 3,587, dated December 22, 1896.

Application filed March 18, 1896- Serial No. 583,758. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HENRY FREE- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lexington, in the county of Dawson and State-of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Insect-Destroyer, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in insect-destroyers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of insect-destroyers and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one which will be capable of effectually destroying all kinds of insects, such as moths, millers, mosquitos, bugs, beetles, and the like, and which will enable ready access to be had to its parts and require but little attention.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an insect-destroyer constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 2, the lantern-frame top and the hinged side being swung open.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a shallow pan or trough supported by legs 2 and provided with a central opening, around which is arranged an upwardly-extending flange or collar 3, forming a socket and preventing the contents of the trough from escaping through the opening. The trough is designed to contain a suitable liquid for killing insects, such liquid preferably consisting of water and a sufficient quantity of coal-oil to form a film at the top of the water, and supporting bars or flanges 4 are secured to the lower face of the bottom of the pan or trough in order to prevent the same from sagging under the weight of a lanternframe 5 and the lamp (3.

The lantern-frame 5 comprises a bottom 7, sides 8 and 9, and a top 10. .The sides are transparent to expose thelight of the lamp and consist of panes or plates of glass arranged in suit-able grooves or ways, constructed, preferably, of sheet metal, and the top 10, which is also constructed of sheet metal, extends outward beyond the upper edges of the sides and is provided beyond the same with a depending flange 11, under which the insect-s are adapted to travel in gaining access to the lantern -frame. The top 10, which is provided with a hood 12, is hinged to one of the sides 8 and is secured in its closed position by spring-catcl1es 13, and the hinges 14 are provided with shoulders 15, extending outwardfrom the lantern-frame and adapted to receive the adjacent portion of the flange 11 to support the top 10 in its open position.

A pair of spring-catches 13 is provided, and each catch is constructed of a single piece of wire bent to form a loop and having oppositely-extendin g terminals 16 and 17. The inner terminal is secured to the inner face of the top by any suitable means, and the outer terminal is adapted to engage the adjacent side of the lantern-frame and is operated by compressing the loop, which extends through a slot 18 of the top of the lantern-frame and which is located 011 the exterior of the same. The sides of the frame are provided, adjacent to the top, with openings 19 for the passage of insects and is supported by a binding wire or rod, with which the spring-catches 13 111- terlock when the top of the lantern-frame is closed.

The side 9 of the lantern-frame is hinged at its lower edge to the bottom and is adapted to be swung outward, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, and is provided at its upper edge with a catch 20, consisting of a pair of hooks and a connecting pintle or shank 21, arranged in a sleeve 22 at the upper edge of the hinged side 9, and the hooks of the catch are adapted to be swung into and out of engagement with the top of the lantern-frame.

Any suit-able form of lamp 6 may be employed. Its chimney is shielded from injury by the lantern-frame, and the top of the chimney fits snugly within the hood 12 to support it and also to prevent insects from passing upward into the hood and dropping into the chimney and interfering with the light. The

wick-tnbe 22 of the lamp-burner is provided ICO with a straight upper edge and extends a sufficient distance upward to'prevent the flame from striking the contracted cylindrical bottom portion of the chimney.

The lamp is provided with a filling-tube 23, which communicates with a cylindrical oilreservoir 24, rigid withthe lantern-frame and fitting in the socket of the pan or trough and detachably mounting the lantern-frame thereon. The pan or trough is provided at opposite sides with rigid handles, and the lanternframe is provided with a hinged bail 26, secured to suitable perforated ears of the top 10.

Many of the insects attracted by the light will drop into the pan or trough without entering the lantern-frame, and those which succeed in entering the lantern-frame through the openings at the top of the sides cannot return and escape through such openings, but will finally fall into the trough through openings 27 of the bottom of the lantern-frame.

It will be seen that the insect-destroyer is exceedingly simple and inexpensve in construction, that it is adapted to be readily handled, and that it is capable of effectually exterminating all kinds of insects which are attracted by a light. It will also be apparent that the lantern-frame may be readily removed from the pan or trough when it is necessary to clean the parts or fill the reservoir, and that the chimney is shielded and supported and cannot be easily broken.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is- 1. An insect-destroyer comprising a pan or trough provided with legs and having a central opening and a collar or flange surrounding the same and forming a socket, anda lantern-frame provided with a depending reservoir fitting in the socket of the pan or trough,

said lantern-frame being provided adjacent to its top with openings and having depending flanges located outside of the openings, substantially as described.

2. An insect-destroyer comprising a trough, a lantern-frame mounted thereon and comprising a bottom provided with openings, transparent sides provided at their upper edges with openings, one of the sides being hinged to the bottom, and a top hingedly connected with the sides of the lantern-frame and provided beyond the sides with depending flanges extending below the openings of the sides, a lamp, and means for securing the position, substantially as described.

3. An insect-destroyer comprising a trough, a lantern -frame comprising sides having openings at their upper edges and provided with a supporting rod or wire, a hinged top, and catches mounted at opposite sides of the top and constructed of resilient material and consisting of loops extending through slots or openings of the hinged top, secured at one side to the same, and having at the opposite side outwardly-extending portions engaging the supporting Wires or rods of the sides, substantially as described.

4. An insect-destroyer comprising a trough, a lantern-frame mounted on the trough and provided with a hinged side having a sleeve at its top, and a catch comprising a pair of swinging hooks arranged to engage the top of the lantern-frame, and a connecting shank or pintle arranged in the sleeve of the hinged side, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM HENRY FREEMAN.

Witnesses:

GEo. B. DARE, O. F. SPENCER.

- hinged side and the hinged top in their closed 

